It is hard to believe that the Discovery Channel, those folks who bring us Animal Planet would consider giving Sarah Palin her own reality show about Alaska. This woman is responsible for the hunting of wolves and making it a sport. Killing wolves via helicopter. Politics aside, this woman should not be allowed on the Discovery Channel. She belongs on the FOX news network! (wink wink you betcha!)

Here is a petition to the Discovery Channel for all those who are shocked by this news.

From the Defenders of Wildlife:

This is unbelievable.

Discovery Communications has just announced that they’ll be producing a “reality TV” series starring Sarah Palin.

Yes — the same Sarah Palin who escalated Alaska’s war on wolves and offered a $150 bounty for the severed front-forelegs of dead wolves. The same Sarah Palin who fought against increased protections for America’s struggling polar bear populations. And the same Palin who fought against the increased protections for the dwindling Cook Inlet beluga whales.

I’m troubled that Discovery Communications — known for their stunning wildlife-focused productions — would choose to embrace such a controversial and anti-wildlife person as Sarah Palin to represent Alaska and the wildlife that lives there.

That’s why I’ve joined Defenders of Wildlife’s fight to get Discovery Communications to drop Sarah Palin’s new show, and I am hoping you will too.

Please sign the petition online at http://action.defenders.org/discovery

Thanks for helping…

Taya American Pit Bull Terrier gets Acupuncture

This picture was taken during Taya’s treatment with a blackberry- thus making it difficult to see the needles. During the session, Taya also received a laser treatment, warming infrared heat on her back, knees and elbows and a Tui Na massage with Zheng Gu Shui. (aka stinky herbs which she does not like the smell of!) After her treatment Taya took a nice nap and it was reported that there was snoring too! This is a pit bull with a sense of humor.

Approximately, 4-5 months ago, my 10 year old, American Pit Bull Terrier, Taya injured her back. Since her injury, most days her tail hung down off her back, lifeless. This being the biggest sign of her discomfort and pain but also she would injure herself again and again, simply playing. After many Vet visits and medication our Vet recommended acupuncture.

It’s been 3 weeks and 3 visits since Jeanie Marie began working on my baby. She recommended a change in diet and some Chinese stinky herbs, and I adopted them. For the past two hours, Taya and I have been playing with her toy. Her tail is curled up pointing to the sky and she is peppy and happy like she was before her injury. I’m simply amazed and thankful.”
Michelle M

This came from a forwarded email. Thought i would post it for all. I have met so many dog owners who feed their dogs grapes as treats. Please pass on this info to other dog owners. (and if you email this please use the Bcc and not the Cc to add your email addresses!)

Written by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic Danville , OH

This week I had the first case in history of
raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patientwas a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime
between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday.

He started with vomiting, diarrhea andshaking about 1 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn’t call my emergency service until 7 AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn’t seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me – had heard something about it, but… Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give IV fluids at 1 & 1/2 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.
The dog’s BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and Creatine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal).
Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values
at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and Creatine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At that point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a
urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given Lasix as a
diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn’t control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased
again, his BUN was over 120, his Creatine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220 … He continued to vomit
and the owners elected to Euthanize.

This is a very sad case – great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk.

Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our
ex-handler’s. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Onions, chocolate, cocoa, avocados and macadamia nuts can
be fatal, too

Sissy is a four or five year old black lab, calm, house-broken and very sweet. We are not sure if she gets along with cats. She is being fostered in Stoneham MA.

If you would like to adopt sweet Sissy please contact
sheiladuncan at verizon dot net
This dog will be adopted through the SPCA of TN and there is an adoption contract too -
Thanks very much -

Here’s Trouble!” In January, 2006, after some tough times of her own, then twelve year old Kendra Duncan of Marblehead, Massachusetts, decided that kids (and adults too) could use some help during difficult times … maybe they were ill, or had lost a loved one … or were simply feeling a little bit afraid. They needed a great big hug … and more!

She sat down and drew a very simple little pup, and named him “Trouble”! She then worked with her aunt, Sheila, to design a cuddly plush toy as well as a children’s book which tells Trouble’s story of rescue and hope…and how to “be tough” when times are hard.

Trouble has a mission … to make people feel better … and he does! It’s magical! ” To learn more visit http://www.troublesaysbetough.com.

Purchase this adorable stuffed Trouble dog or the children’s book and the proceeds are donated back to the SPCA of TN towards rescuing another poor dog that has no hope.

I just received this email and thought it should be shared with all pet owners.

Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don’t have a pet, please pass this to those who do. (When sending emails to large groups of people please put all email addresses in the Bcc not the Cc for the privacy and safety of all!)

Over the weekend, the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. The dogs loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog (Calypso) decided the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn’t acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company’s website, This product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey’s, and they claim that “It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat

Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won’t eat it.”*Snopes site gives the following information: click here

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores contains a lethal ingredient called ‘Theobromine’. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks.

Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline.

A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal
amounts of theobromine.

What can top combining art and dogs? Surfing the web i came across this delightful blog called Dog Art Today.
http://dreamdogsart.typepad.com/art Filled with classic and contemporary canine art. Eye candy for dog lovers!

Stop by and wish artist/writer Moira McLaughlin a happy blog birthday today.

It is shocking that the FDA still allows the pet food industry to add harmful and disgusting ingredients in their products after all the recalls in the industry. These are the same brands that have the wonderful commercials on TV, sponsor ACK Dog Shows, and have full page ads in most dog magazines. Advertising at its best.

These are just a few of the ingredients found in some well known brands of pet foods. A warning to those with weak stomachs please read with caution!

*Animal meat meal and animal by-products: this is what is left of the slaughtered animal after the meat is removed. It can include things like beaks, feet, blood, intestines, bones, and tissue.

*Beef and bone meal: another by product of beef which can include hair, hooves,horn,manure, entrails and blood.

*Chicken Byproduct Meal: Consists of the dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines — exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

*Corn bran: which is the outer layer of the corn kernel. It has no nutritional value.

*Corn Gluten: is the residue from corn which can be used as a protein but can cause allergies in many dogs just like wheat gluten.

*Wheat Gluten: The tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when wheat is washed to remove the starch. An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing with almost no nutritional value left, serves mostly as a binder.

Wheat also exacerbates pain in dogs and humans.

Take the time to research your pet’s food before buying a pretty package. Most of the smaller pet supply shops carry the healthy brands. It is difficult to find those in most grocery chains unless it is a natural health food store.

If you would like to learn more about the best commercial dog foods on the market please visit the link below. Your dog will thank you!
www.dogaware.com

If you or your dog suffers from arthritis, auto-immune disorders or allergies you may want to put that slice of pizza down and read on!

Research has shown that wheat and gluten aggravates the symptoms of auto-immune diseases, arthritis and most pain. It also is the cause of allergies and Irritable Bowel Syndrome in many dogs and humans. Unfortunately wheat gluten is used in several name brand pet foods. Read the labels carefully before buying a brand who has the best commercials on TV!

Wheat also is a major factor in weight. Once you eliminate the wheat in a dog’s diet you may notice that he is in less pain, may lose weight and if he has allergies they may be eliminated. This fact also applies to people!
Foods that contain wheat:

Bread
Pretzels
Pizza Crust
Bread crumbs
Milkbones
Pancakes & Waffles
Cake & Pastries
Cookies
Some Cereals
Flour